ln one aspect, this invention relates to a process for chlorinating benzene and/or chlorobenzene so as to produce 1,4-dichlorobenzene at high selectivity. In another aspect, this invention relates to the use of zeolite catalysts for chlorinating benzene and/or monochlorobenzene.
It is known to produce 1,4-dichlorobenzene by direct chlorination of benzene or chlorobenzene in the presence of a zeolite of the L family as catalyst. However, there is an ever present need to develop new processes or producing 1,4-dichlorobenzene at a higher selectivity by employing more effective catalysts than those presently known.